Cyberpunk enthusiasts should keep an eye on the single-player shooter DEFECT. The studio emptyvessel — staffed by developers who worked on DOOM, Call of Duty, and The Last of Us — revealed gameplay that promises unprecedented immersion and highly destructible environments.
This is a HUD-free experience where every wall can be obliterated, each type of ammunition interacts with the surroundings in its own way, and gadgets and tools fundamentally reshape combat tactics. The developers pledge dynamic, non-linear narratives that respond to player choices in real time, ensuring the game world never plays out the same way twice.
During the DEFECT showcase at Galaxies Autumn 2025, a squad of armed THE SYSTEM officers — the futuristic police force — was shown assaulting a ruined residential complex to neutralize a rogue AI. The operation rapidly degenerates into a brutal confrontation with a local gang. One officer hijacks a gang member’s mind to resurrect a fallen comrade, integrating him into the unit.
The story unfolds in the last city of humanity, ruled by the ruthless AI known as THE SYSTEM. Players undertake open missions — from arms smuggling and target eliminations to hostage rescues. The game supports solo play or four-player modes for both PvP and cooperative play.
DEFECT is being developed on Unreal Engine 5 and represents emptyvessel’s first major title, featuring an atmospheric score by Mick Gordon (composer for DOOM).
Source: iXBT.games